POLICE have launched a crackdown on nuisance drivers after being bombarded with complaints from angry residents.

Officers were dispatched to Halstead and Sible Hedingham to clamp down on dangerous drivers at the weekend.

Essex Police said it came following complaints from residents in the areas.

As a result of the patrol, a number of drivers were spoken to by officers and official warnings were dished out.

It comes amid wider concerns over speeding and road safety in Halstead.

Town mayor Jackie Pell said there are several problem roads in the town which are becoming notorious for dangerous driving.

Tidings Hill has come under intense scrutiny, with Mrs Pell aiming to act by bringing up traffic measures with Essex County Council.

She said that while it is easy to blame boy-racers, regular drivers are also guilty of poor driving.

She said: “There is a small element of boy racers but also older drivers who should know better.

“They are a small minority but they do get on everyone’s nerves, you can hear them roar by.

“It can be a problem. We have these narrow roads so there is speeding on a road that is not wide enough, like Tidings Hill.

“You can see them mount the footpath.

“We can’t have that - we need to consider the safety of pedestrians.

“Tidings Hill is bad and the footpath is used by school children.

“It is not the only place though - planning is looking at Bournebridge Hill.

“Halstead is an old town and was built for horses and carts. The roads haven’t changed, they are what we’ve got, and you need to make what you’ve got safer.”

It comes after attempts to revive a community ‘Speedwatch’ scheme in July last year.

However, Mrs Pell admitted the proposal had been axed due to a lack of interest.

She said: “That failed. Nobody wanted to do it.

“We had a Speedwatch but it dwindled.

“The volunteers got abuse and nobody wants to have to put up with that.”